The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Hands-On

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Five years after Butcher Bay, Riddick has returned for some payback.

By Hilary Goldstein

Five years ago, Starbreeze AB made its mark with the release of one of the best movie-licensed games ever made. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was meant as a bridge between Pitch Black and the first (and only) Chronicles film. A hit with fans and critics alike, the only real flaws of Butcher Bay were a lack of multiplayer and a very short single-player campaign. Those complaints must have eaten away at the folks at Starbreeze, because the Riddick team decided to release a remake/sequel for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 that answered those criticisms.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena contains a remastered version of Butcher Bay (with updated graphics and sound and some tweaks to previous gameplay issues) as well as an all new adventure for Riddick. Oh, and multiplayer. When you first boot up Riddick, you're given the choice to start Butcher Bay or jump right into Assault on Dark Athena.

While I didn't spend much time revisiting Butcher Bay, I can tell all you longtime fans that it has aged well. No major changes have been made, so it should be easy to pick up right away. Rather than start from scratch, Starbreeze brought Butcher Bay to levels comparable with current-gen visuals.

Assault on Dark Athena shares the same control scheme and the same gameplay mix. Riddick, for those who never tried the original, is not a straight shooter. It's a blend of stealth and first-person shooting. Riddick has the ability to see in the dark, making the shadows his friend. Dark Athena places a heavier emphasis on stealth, particularly in the first half of the game. You'll only have melee weapons for the first few levels, making it crucial that you sneak up on enemies and perform stealth kills.

Riddick is trapped on a mercenary ship with a homicidal captain, Revas, and a bunch of deadly drones. The drones, slow-minded guards that patrol the grounds, can make for tough kills. Their gun is actually melded into their arm, so killing one doesn't gain you a weapon you can walk away with. However, you can ace a drone, then use him as a human shield with access to his arm-rifle. Your movement is limited, so you won't be wandering the halls of the Athena holding a drone, but it works in a pinch.

For those who want to run and gun, Dark Athena is probably going to kick your ass. At least in the early going. It doesn't take very many shots to kill Riddick and with only melee weapons for the first 40% of the game, stealth is often your only viable option. But don't worry -- stick with the stealth long enough and you'll be rewarded.

At one point, Riddick gains access to the drone control room. Laying down in the control pod, Riddick is able to deploy drones, controlling them remotely. Think of it like being able to radio-control Robocop. The drone is slow and eats a lot of bullets, but it tears through just about everything in its path. The drone control moment is reminiscent of when you finally get inside one of the 'mechs in Butcher Bay. You've been getting harassed by these tough bastards for a while and finally it's your turn to turn the tables and kick some ass.

From this point forward, Dark Athena makes stealth more of an option, allowing you to acquire a number of ranged weapons. The gameplay becomes almost night and day with the earlier levels, but that actually makes the standard first-person shooting elements special. It's like Riddick has been cooped up in a cage for the first few levels and finally they let the beast out.

Dark Athena isn't just about stealth and combat. As with Butcher Bay, there are times when you get to converse with some of the prisoners on the ship, learn their stories, and give them an assist. There are some real characters to discover, each one seemingly more foul-mouthed than the last. Not everyone is interested in talk though. I won't call out any of the prisoners, but I'll say "someone" was caught with his back to the prison door feverishly twiddling himself. Don't worry, you're never asked to shake his hand.

Multiplayer has also been included, though I wasn't able to check it out with the current build. However, there are some standard 12-player options, such as Death Match, as well as the interesting Pitch Black mode, which puts players in dark arenas in fights where a good Surround Sound system is vital.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena doubles the content of Butcher Bay and brings the technology up to current-gen standards. How well the gameplay, which remains fairly untouched, stands up five years after the fact is another question. One that will be answered when I've had a chance to play the final build. With Assault on Dark Athena scheduled for an early April release, it may be a bit before anyone gets a chance for a final assessment on Riddick's latest adventure. But from what I've played, I'm optimistic that Dark Athena can quell its past criticisms and deliver the full-fledged Riddick experience no one even knew they wanted.